Lecture 2 - Concept of Status Flashcards
What is sociology?
The scientific study of the interaction between individuals and society.
Define fashion.
The spread of a style or behavior within a social community.
a social phenomenon that consists in the affirmation of models of taste and style within a specific social community
What can be considered fashionable?
Objects, practices, ideas.
What is clothing?
The set of objects used in dressing, such as shirts and accessories.
Define costume.
A way of dressing characteristic of a specific historical-geographical context or social condition.
What is the definition of status?
The hierarchical position of someone in relation to others within society.
What is a role in sociology?
A set of expectations about a person based on the social position they occupy.
Define social class.
A grouping based on similar social, economic, and cultural resources.
Who is Thorstein Veblen?
A US economist and sociologist, considered the father of sociology of consumption.
What is conspicuous leisure?
Sets of behaviors pursued during nonwork time that provide tangible evidence of status.
ex: knowledge of dead language, music, manners, practicing games and sports
What does conspicuous consumption refer to?
The spending of money on luxury commodities as a public display of economic power.
ex: the consumption of clothes
Why is clothing important in the context of status?
Clothing can communicate the social position of the wearer.
What are some characteristics of fashion according to Veblen?
- Showy
- Superfluous
- Updated to the taste of the moment
True or False: Fashion is dictated by the lower class.
False.
What is the ‘tickle down effect’ in fashion?
A model of fashion diffusion from upper classes to lower classes.
Who is Pierre Bourdieu?
A French philosopher, sociologist, and anthropologist considered one of the most important sociologists of the 20th century.
What does Bourdieu’s concept of capital include?
- Economic
- Social
- Cultural
How can capital be converted?
From one form to another, such as cultural capital to economic capital.
What is the main assumption of Bourdieu’s work ‘Distinction’?
Social distinction is maintained through cultural capital.
based upon empirical research about the state of French Culture
What are the two conflicting processes in Simmel’s analysis of fashion?
- Conformity
- Individualism
Fill in the blank: According to Veblen, the American upper class practices conspicuous consumption to _______.
show off and distinguish itself from lower social classes.
What does Simmel argue about fashion in modern societies?
Fashion can only develop in societies with defined but permeable social classes.
What is the relationship between fashion and social class according to Veblen and Simmel?
Fashion spreads through a top-down mechanism, from upper classes to lower classes.
what is fashion strictly related to
change
what is fashion from a european persepctive?
the term is used to describe the way of dressing from the modern era on
Thorstein Veblen book
the Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study in the Evolution of Institutions, 1899
In book he describes and explains the behavioral characteristics of the new rich social class that emerged from capital accumulation during the second industrial revolution
in what ways do people display their statuses according to Veblen
Conspicuous leisure and conspicuous consumption
why clothing according to veblen
the American upper class carries out practices of conspicuous consumption to show off and distinguish itself from lower social classes
what makes a garment more and more a symbol of belonging to a high class
The less practical and functions the garment is, the more it becomes a symbol of belonging to a high class
Elegant and immaculate clothes, with unnecessary frills, indicate that the wearer does not carry out strenuous activities
how is fashion showy
it expresses the wealth of the wearer
how is fashion superfluous
it is neither practical nor functional
according to veblen fashion’s function is mainly
ostentatious and demonstrative
fashion is dictated by
the leisure class, and spreads to the lower classes through a top-down mechanism
what is a symbol of high social status today
vintage clothing, sustainable luxury, etc
A busy and overworked lifestyle has become an aspirational status symbol
it is associated with intellectual work and a high demand from the market
what is not so much a symbol of high status today
In recent decades, traditional luxury goods have become more widespread and have partly lost their value in signaling the status of their owners
As a result, new ways of signaling status have emerged (e.g., vintage clothing, inconspicuous consumption, sustainable luxury)
georg simmel
German philosopher and sociologist; among the founding fathers of sociology
georg simmel book
Fashion (De Mode), 1895
He analyses fashion as a general phenomenon (a trait characteristic of modern society), which can be applied to clothing as well as other things (i.e. ideas) - fashion has two inspiring principles: imitation and distinction
what is essential about simmel’s two conflicting processes about fashion
these processes are characteristic humanity and are always in conflict with each other
what are the three sequential phases of the top-down mechanism
The elite (upper class) differentiates from the other through their clothing
The class immediately below imitates the clothing of the elite: clothes represent the easiest way to “achieve” parity with the upper class because they can be acquired with money (this doesn’t happen for other things, such as culture) –> the monetary economy favors fashion
The elite is “forced” to adopt a new form of the distinctive clothing to differentiate themselves from lower classes
according to the top-down mechanism, what does fashion therefore do
Fashion, therefore, unites members of the same social class and separates them from those of other social classes
The concept of capital is closely linked to
the theoretical framework of Karl Marx
According to Marx, capital is a
“definite social relation of production pertaining to a pertaining to a particular historical social formation” when referring to Marxian concept of capital, sociologists usually refer to the set of economic resources possessed by an individual (money, properties, income, etc)
For Marx, a social class is determined by
difference in material (economic) resources between groups of individuals
economic form of capital
linked to income and profession
social form of capital
linked to the quantity and quality of relationships
cultural form of capital
linked to education and training
What is cultural capital?
Cultural capital includes education, intellect, values, styles of speech, and style of dress.
How do people with more cultural capital influence society?
They determine what is considered GOOD taste.
What is the perception of the dominant class’s taste?
It is often seen as the most legitimate.
What is symbolic violence in the context of cultural capital?
It is the acceptance of socially dominant taste by lower classes, reinforcing social hierarchy.
According to Bourdieu, how do different social classes relate to taste?
Different classes develop distinct aesthetic preferences based on access to cultural capital.
What is the relationship between taste and consumption choices?
Taste guides consumption choices, maintaining class distinctions.
Fill in the blank: CULTURAL CAPITAL –> _______ –> CONSUMPTION CHOICES.
TASTE
What values do the bourgeoisie emphasize regarding clothing?
They value the aesthetic dimension and the importance of adapting one’s wardrobe to different social contexts.
How does the working class typically use clothing?
In a functional and practical way.
What role does cultural capital play in art according to Bourdieu?
It maintains distinctions between social classes through taste.
Why might lower-class individuals struggle to appreciate high culture?
They rarely acquire the same cultural resources as those from upper-class backgrounds.
What are some modern symbols of distinction in Western societies?
Practices such as meditation, yoga, and vegetarianism.
